Page 49 of Stolen By the Enemy

I can almost see a smile on his lips.

There’s no doubt that this was different. Somehow, we’ve gone past the sex that was just for pleasure or punishment, and reached a connection that I would never have guessed we could find.

It’s too late for this now, though.

That thought almost makes me sad, even though logically I understand that I shouldn’t be feeling any of this in my situation.

If only this is what we could have found before Marco felt the need to kidnap me and hold me hostage in his beach house in Mexico.

Now I’m going to be handed over, like someone’s property, in order to help him get richer, and my brothers will take me home and likely keep me locked up in my own home, claiming it’s all for my own good.

I leave Marco sitting in the living room while I go to pack up all of my stuff.

I have to gather my clothes from the room and the bathroom, and now I wish that I had been able to do laundry, because most of my clothes are disgusting now.

Maybe I’ll get some done while I’m at Marco’s house.

Looking around the bedroom, I take in the views one more time. I’ve only been here for a short while, but somehow it feels like I’m leaving a new home.

Logically, I know that’s a ridiculous thought. This house is the furthest thing from my home. I have no freedom here.

This is good. My brothers have finally agreed to come and fetch me. I’m going home.

I’m going back to my old life, my childhood home, to everyone who I knew before I became a cartel captive.

And I won’t be seeing Marco anymore.

The last thought is perhaps the one that makes all of this feel less exciting than it should. It's weird.

I’ve just had sex with the man, and now I’m being rescued from him. That’s not the kind of story that you hear in fairytale books.

Nor is it a normal way to explain how I spent my summer. But this entire period of my life has been the opposite of normal.

Chapter Fifteen

Marco

Grazia comes out of the room with her bag packed.

I imagine she’s excited now to leave this place, and to go back home where she belongs.

But I’m still feeling odd about thinking of her leaving tomorrow.

“I thought we’d go back to my house for dinner,” I say to her, gathering my own stuff together.

“Dinner?” she asks, sounding confused, which is understandable.

“Yes. As a reward for behaving so well. And for what you just did for me.” I wink at her, and she giggles.

“Oh! Just let me pack in the rest of my sketching stuff. It’s in the kitchen,” she says, leaving the room quickly.

I put my own clothes on and check my phone, messaging my head of security person to let him know what the plan is.

“You can stay at my house for the night, so that if your brothers arrive early, you will be ready for them,” I shout to her, hearing her moving around in the kitchen.

I make my way to the door, switching on lights in case we need to come back here tonight for any reason.

I’d rather be prepared than not.

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